Ukrainian Negotiators, Roman Abramovich Poisoned during Peace Talks with Russia

At least two members of the Ukrainian delegation and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich suffered symptoms of poisoning following peace talks with Russia on March 3, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

The symptoms included skin and eye irritation, according to the report, which was confirmed by the investigative journalistic group Bellingcat. Those who reportedly suffered the effects of poisoning have all improved, and none is in danger.

Following talks with the Russian delegation, the Ukrainian negotiators first felt the symptoms that night after returning to Kyiv.

These included "eye and skin inflammation and piercing pain in the eyes," the group wrote on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/bellingcat/status/1508469820211224576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1508469820211224576%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Fukraine-roman-abramovich-was-poisoned-at-peace-talks-reports%2Fa-61284930

The two Ukrainian members reached out to Bellingcat, which connected them with a chemical weapons specialist for an examination.

"The experts concluded that the symptoms were most likely the result of international poisoning with an undefined chemical weapon," the investigative group wrote.

The Kremlin has confirmed that Abramovich was involved in early talks, but later rounds had been taken over by Russian negotiators.

Since the Russian-Ukrainian war, the current owner of Chelsea Football Club had been travelling between Moscow and Lviv in an attempt to mediate between the two sides.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the oligarch had wanted to "do something" to "help somehow" with the aim of de-escalation.